Patent GB-551907-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to washing machines
IPC: D06F13/02
Filed: 1941-12-08
Abstract: 551,907. Washing - machines. BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., Ltd. Dec. 8, 1941, No. 15792. Convention date, Dec. 10, 1940. [Class 138 (ii)] A washing - machine having a central vertical shaft oscillated for washing or rotated for centrifugal drying by, for example, mechanism as described in Specification 452,402, is adapted for washing normal loads with the normal amount of water or if desired smaller loads with a smaller amount of water, there being proided selective means for filling the machine to different levels with overflow passages at those levels and means responsive to the overflow for shutting off the liquid supply to the tub. The tub 9 has the bottom 8 placed on an enlarged sleeve 22 fixed on the hub 5 of the carrier and retained by a snap ring 21, a rubber grommet 23 sealing the joint, and radial arms 7 from the hub connect to the balance ring 6 in which the tub is seated. To the hub 5 are secured a lower bearing 38 and an upper bearing 39, the lower running on the central shaft 32, and the upper on a sleeve 40 resting on a shoulder 41 on the shaft and splined to the top of it and having a flange 43 supporting a thrust washer 42, the sleeve 40 thus taking the weight of the tub and carrier. The shaft passes from the bottom 18 of the casing through a sleeve 33 with a self aligning bearing 34, 35, well above the water level in the outer casing, and at the top has a drive nut 31 to drive the agitator, which has a socket 30 therefor and is held on the nut by a spring 31a in the agitator hub engaging a groove in the drive nut. A deflector 37 is secured to the shaft 32 to protect the bearing 34, 35 from water leaking round the shaft. The drive from the shaft 32 to the tub through the carrier hub 5 is by a stop 44, Fig. 6, fixed to the hub 5 and a projection 45 on a sleeve 46 which is friction geared to the shaft by friction discs 49 interposed between metal discs 47 splined to the shaft and metal discs 48 loose on the shaft and tongued to engage a groove 51, Fig. 6, in the projection 45. The upper end of the sleeve 46 is closed by a wall loosely surrounding the shaft 32. The two water levels for washing are provided for by an upper set of apertures 56 in the hub of the agitator surrounded by a trough 55 formed thereon, and by a lower set of apertures 58 on the hub which can be closed by valve members 59 at the lower end of a slotted sleeve 60, the upper end of which has tabs 63 extending through slots in the drive nut 31 and are fixed to a nut 65 secured to a splash guard cap 66, which, extending down around the top of the hub is beaded and can be sprung into two positions, in the lower of which the high level overflow openings are used for a full wash, and in the higher of which the lower level openings are used for the smaller wash. Holes 57 are provided in the enlarged sleeve 22 to allow the overthrow liquid to escape to the casing. A guided float 73, Fig. 1, pulls a rod 75 and lever 76 to close a water supply valve 71 when sufficient water for the wash has been let in. A filter ring 12 retains suspended particles when a pump 15 returns washing liquid to circulation.